Wastewater

The City of Dawsonville’s Wastewater Facility
provides the best possible treatment of waste to protect the receiving waters,
downstream users, and neighbors. By
removing waste from the wastewater and thereby protecting the receiving waters,
meeting strict government permit requirements, minimizing odors to avoid
nuisance complaints, minimizing costs, minimizing energy consumption,
maintaining an effective preventative maintenance program and maintenance of a
collection and transportation system to the treatment plant.

The most efficient method for collecting wastewater is by gravity
through manholes and sewer lines. A
gravity sewer system does not have any mechanical parts and does not require
electricity. Some locations require a
pump station be installed.

The pump stations are monitored through Supervisory Control And Data
Acquisition (SCADA). The SCADA system
transmits all pertinent information about the pump station and tracks the pump
stations performance and alerts facility operators to certain failures and
conditions.

Currently, the City of Dawsonville maintains nine lift stations, an
aerated treatment pond, a land application storage pond, and twelve spray
fields. The City staff is on call at all
times for emergency needs.

The City of Dawsonville is permitted by the Georgia
Environmental Protection Division (EPD) to treat 400,000 gallons per day.

Grease Traps

All restaurants
have to have a grease trap either outdoor grease interceptor (that is pumped
out by a certified company periodically as needed) or an inside (under sink
style that is cleaned daily). This
prevents grease from the restaurants from going into the sewer.

The Public Works
Department will periodically check the grease trap to make sure they are
being maintained.

All restaurants must
send a copy of the manifest from the company that pumps the grease trap to City
Hall at P.O. Box 6, Dawsonville, GA
30534.

High
Strength Wastewater Surcharge

(A) Establishment of Surcharge

Users discharging "high strength" wastewater into the City sewerage system may be
assessed a monetary surcharge in addition to the normally required sewer use charges in an amount to be calculated below. A "high strength" wastewater is defined as wastewater which contains any of the following 6 primary pollutants above the lower levels set forth on a monthly average concentration basis and shall not exceed the maximum level on a daily average concentration basis:

3.
Total
ammonium nitrogen NH3-N above 30 mg/l, not to exceed a maximum of 60 mg/l.

4.
Total TKN above 40 mg/l, not
to exceed a maximum of 80 mg/l.

5.
Total phosphorus above 20
mg/l, not to exceed a maximum of 30 mg/l.

6.
Floatable
oil and grease above 100 mg/I, not to exceed a maximum of 150 mg/l.

The above parameters shall be determined by
the utilization of sampling and testing procedures as provided in the High Strength
Wastewater Ordinance.

(B) Formula

When the
concentration of the surcharge parameters exceeds the lower level values shown
above, the excess concentration shall be subject to a surcharge in the amount
obtained using the following formula:

Surcharge $/month = P x Q x 8.34 x C Where:

"P"
is the excess monthly average concentration in mg/l of
the parameter (BOD5, etc.) being evaluated i.e. the actual concentration less
the allowable lower level concentration listed
in paragraph (A). The maximum level concentration shall not be exceeded.

"Q"
is
equal to the user's monthly flow in millions of gallons.

"C" is
equal to the unit cost in dollars per pound ($/lb) for the treatment of the surcharged parameter. This value shall be
established by the City based on actual wastewater treatment costs which shall be revised from time to time as
necessary.

Since
high strength wastewater can inhibit the treatment process, as a penalty the
costs per pound shall increase if the pollutant concentration increases above
the lower level limit as follows:

Pollutant
IncreaseCosts per poundNet Result

0 – 25% increase 0% increase Surcharge + no penalty

26 – 50% increase 100% increase Surcharge +100% penalty

51 – 75% increase 150% increase Surcharge + 150% penalty

Over 75% increase 300% increase Surcharge + 300% penalty

New Wastewater/Sewer Service:

A person seeking sewer, and/or garbage service from
the City of Dawsonville shall complete an application at City Hall (even though
an application may have been filled out for water at Etowah Water). A customer security deposit and ID will be
required. For more information call City
Hall at (706)265-3256.